LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — With the hot weather coming up, Lexington Police are warning people to lock their cars and keep valuables inside or at least out of sight. Valuables include firearms.
“We often see young people and juveniles walking around our neighborhoods and checking door handles, so it’s really important that people keep an eye on what’s going on in their neighborhoods and if they see anything suspicious, contact police so we can investigate,” said Lt. Marcus Sell with the Lexington Police Property Crimes Unit.
Last year, there were more than 1,300 car thefts in the city. In 2022, that number increased slightly to just over 1,330.
“We are fortunate to see that motor vehicle thefts are down this year, down about 13 per cent compared to previous years,” Inspector Sell added.
Officials say while it may seem like auto thefts are making more appearances in the news, Lexington police say the trend is actually down this year.
However, it may be beneficial to contact the police if anything suspicious occurs.
“Victims sometimes call us after an audit after someone has searched their car and stolen valuables, and they complain that the problem has been going on in their neighborhood for months and we’ve done nothing. Then they come back and find that no one ever called to report it to police,” he says.
Lt. Sell said there has also been a downward trend in the number of firearm thefts this year.
“So far, we’re down about 30 percent from this year, but the number of firearms seized from vehicles is still far too high,” Sell said.
He added that most firearms stolen from vehicles tend to end up in the wrong hands.
“It’s a public safety concern and it’s terrible for the person who has their firearm stolen, but the firearm ends up in the hands of a suspect and is bought, sold or used in other crimes. The same goes for vehicles, which are often stolen and then used in crimes later that night or later in the week. Some of the firearms that have come into our office in recent weeks have actually been returned to us that were used in crimes in other states,” Sell said.
He reiterated that if people see anything suspicious they should contact police so they can follow up on movements and direct patrols in the area.
You can also register your surveillance system or Ring cam at connectlex.org.
